Nystul (pronounced: /ˈnaɪstʊl/ NY-stul[5] or pronounced: /ˈnɪstʊl/ NIS-tul[5]) was a human Oerthian mage, a master of disguise, and a member of the Circle of Eight, who showed fascination with magics that altered light and darkness[1] and was responsible for the creation of many such spells.[2]
Description[]
Nystul's true appearance was hidden even from his fellow members of the Circle of Eight.[2] At the age of forty-three years old, Nystul was a plain-looking, lanky man who weighed 184 pounds (83.5 kilograms), a noticeably lightweight for someone 6.583 feet (2.006 meters) tall. He had messy, lank hair of pale brown and brown eyes.[1]
Personality[]
Nystul had a sharp and unerring mind but also was a lover of tactics, jokes, and puns.[7][1] Using magic, Nystul often took on the guise of a fair elven maid when traveling, knowing that brave knights and stalwart paladins eagerly offered protection to such a delicate creature. He believed that a mage was never to meet an enemy in close combat, preferring greatly to control the battlefield with illusory magics.[1]
Relationships[]
Nystul's group, which included Mordenkainen, Otto, Rary, Drawmij, Otiluke, Bigby, and Tenser, was known as the famed Circle of Eight. Nystul's jokes and puns proved to be quite an annoyance to Mordenkainen, Bigby, and Drawmij.[1] At a later date, Nystul's Circle of Eight consisted of Warnes, Theodain, Alhamazad, Drawmij, Bigby, Nystul, Otto, and Jallarzi.[8] Dwarf fighter from the Duchy of Tenh named Yars Blud-Sigul was Nystul's acquaintance and aided him against lich Vecna.[9]
Possessions[]
Nystul often carried such defensive magic items as bracers of defense, a ring of protection, and a cloak of displacement. However, he was armed only with a simple dagger, which he seldomly used for anything but peeling an apple. Other wondrous items in Nystul's possession were boots of levitation, dust of disappearance, a hat of disguise, a helm of telepathy, a wand of enemy detection, a wand of illusion, and a wand of illumination.[1] As an additional method of protection, Nystul was always under the effects of a permanent protection from evil spell.[10]
Activities[]
Famous wizards of Greyhawk, left to right: Tenser, Nystul, Otto, Drawmij, Bigby, Rary, Otiluke, Jallarzi.
Nystul was known for creating a number of spells, Nystul's magic aura and Nystul's undetectable aura being extremely common and found on many worlds, and Nystul's nullifier was a spell used by law enforcement of Ravens Bluff in the Vast.[11] Nystul's crystal dirk was brought to Toril in the late 14th century DR from a cross the planes by the Order of the Eternals.[12]
Other spells, unknown on Toril, included Nystul's blacklight burst, Nystul's blackmote, Nystul's blazing beam, Nystul's crystal dagger, Nystul's dancing werelight, Nystul's enveloping darkness, Nystul's expeditious fire extinguisher, Nystul's flash, Nystul's golden revelation, Nystul's grue conjuration, Nystul's lightburst, Nystul's magical mask,[13] Nystul's radiant arch, and Nystul's radiant baton.[14][15]
Apart from spellcrafting, Nystul also penned the Libram of the Great Paravisual Emanations, which contained a variety of spells, including that of his own making,[16] as well as The Metaphysics of Mathematics.[17]
History[]
Nystul was born to a wealthy noble family in the capital city of the Duchy of Tenh. In later years, Nystul showed concern for his homeland and often felt others did not show enough concern for the Duchy of Ten. He spent much of his time collecting intel on the goings-on at Tenh's borders, supplying it to the country's rulers without asking for accolades or recognition.[1]
Appendix[]
Behind the Scenes[]
Nystul's spells were named after Mike Nystul (and not after his character), a game designer and the owner of Pariah Press, publisher of the Whispering Vault horror TTRPG.[18]
Appearances[]
Novels & Short Stories
Cormyr: A Novel
Card Games
Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
Impendant Symposium
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Doug Niles, Carl Sargent, and Rik Rose (1989). “Folks, Feuds and Factions”. The City of Greyhawk (TSR, Inc.), pp. 24–25. ISBN 9780880387316.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 David Wise (1992). AD&D Trading Cards 1992 series, #167, "Nystul". TSR, Inc..
- ↑ Template:Cite dragon/296/Living Greyhawk Journal
- ↑ Template:Cite book/Gazetteer
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Mike Mearls, et al. (October 2005). Dragon Compendium. Edited by Erik Mona, Mike McArtor. (Paizo Publishing), p. 241. ISBN 0-9770071-4-6.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (April 1998). Cormyr: A Novel. (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 0-7869-0710-X.
- ↑ Sterling Hershey (November 2011). “History Check: Rary the Traitor”. In Steve Winter ed. Dragon #405 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 2.
- ↑ Template:Cite dragon/296/Living Greyhawk Journal
- ↑ David Cook (January 1991). Vecna Lives!. Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.), p. 95. ISBN 0-88038-897-8.
- ↑ David Cook (January 1991). Vecna Lives!. Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 85–86. ISBN 0-88038-897-8.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (October 1998). The City of Ravens Bluff. Edited by John D. Rateliff. (TSR, Inc.), p. 20. ISBN 0-7869-1195-6.
- ↑ Reynolds Jones (August 1998). Impendant Symposium. Living City (RPGA), pp. 27–28.
- ↑ Template:Cite dragon/229/Illusions of Grandeur
- ↑ Template:Cite dragon/175/Sage Advice
- ↑ Mark Middleton et al (March 1998). Wizard's Spell Compendium Volume Three. (TSR, Inc), pp. 624–629. ISBN 978-0786907915.
- ↑ Bruce Heard (February 1984). “Spells between the covers”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #82 (TSR, Inc.), p. 58.
- ↑ Mike Mearls, Kate Welch (May 2019). Ghosts of Saltmarsh. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 40. ISBN 978-0-7869-6686-8.
- ↑ Template:Cite dragon/219/Eye of the Monitor